The End is Near

Hmmm, my final thoughts about this class. This was a challenging class for me and I am glad that it is finally coming to an end. The workload was definitely intense and there was always something to do everyday of the week. I was stressed out most of this semester because I felt like I had no breaks or time for myself at all because there was always some assignment that needed to be done for this class. English is definitely not my favorite subject, if you can tell :).
If anything, I really liked the group aspect of this English class. I felt like I learned the most from my peers from the Peer draft reviews and the discussions we had among ourselves about the comics and the various things that we had to discuss. The groups were cool because I got to interact with you guys while I was sitting in front of my computer in the comfort of my own home. It was like making friends in a face to face class but not getting to see what you guys looked liked; which was cool because I did not have that opportunity to judge or stereotype anyone based on their looks. (Which I try not to do anyways). It was definitely awesome to read the same peoples papers throughout the semester and see how they grew as a writer and just see how they improved overall.
I cannot really remember all the topics that we covered during the course of the semester, but from what I do remember, I liked learning about different musicians and about the music industry in general from the “Music and Culture” book. I liked sharing my opinions and reading other opinions about different genres, illegal downloading, and about the medias influence on celebrities and how they make the general public believe most anything that they put out there.  It was cool to talk about different ideas in the reading discussion forum and I felt like those questions and topics opened my mind to all things revolving music.
 I do not mean to be so negative about this class but I feel like I have a life now that this class is over. I am super excited for this summer vacation and the freedom that goes along with it. I really enjoyed getting to know a little bit about the people that I had groups with and I enjoyed reading everyone’s blog each week to see their outlooks on certain topics and how they differed or were similar to my opinions.

Improved writing skills?

I really do not feel that my writing has improved significantly because of the assignments that we did in this class. I think that I understand MLA formatting a little more, but my writing skills have stayed pretty much the same. I did not get anything out of the “They Say, I Say” book, it confused me more than it helped me. I think that I learned more about music than writing in our, “Music and Culture” book. The questions that we answered just made me look at the individual essay (the content of the article) more closely than really focus on how they were written, I guess. The blogs were awful to write every week, and just made me more stressed out rather than more focused on improving my writing. It was really interesting reading everyone else's  blogs to see what their opinions were, but responding to them was not anything that I looked forward too. I feel that I was an okay writer before I took this class, I am confident in my grammar and spelling skills, and I don't think that has changed. I really was not a fan of writing essays or blogs or anything else, and I dreaded taking an English class for the first time after high school. With the right topic, writing can sometimes be fun and interesting, but having to forcefully write about topics that did not interest me did not help me improve.
I actually really enjoyed (as far as this class goes) the PDR's. I like helping others out so this was my opportunity to help out my fellow classmates (or at least try to). I actually learned from those the most because the constructive criticism from my peers helped me understand what was wrong with my paper and helped me see both the good and the bad in my essays. I've always liked playing “teacher” in my younger days, so the PDR's gave me that chance to “grade” papers and compare and contrast my essays to the ones that I peer edited.
I think that I am still an okay writer and I do not think that I have improved or gotten worse. All-in-all, if MLA was not taken into account, I think that I can write quality work   and am proud of some of the things that I have written in the course of this class. But overall I think that my writing skills have stayed the same, which is not a bad thing I guess.

Censorship

I really don't think that musicians should have to censor their music because they should have the freedom to create whatever they want. I also do not think that the artists should be so concerned with the whole loosing money over censorship situation because their music should be created for art and entertainment purposes. I know that everyone needs to make a living somehow but having one of their songs censored is not going to make or break their career.

I really think that parents need to be the ones who are censoring their children from music that they do not approve of. It is the parents job to be aware of what music is out there and what their kids are listening too. It is important for them to control the what their children are being exposed to and need to do the censoring themselves.

I do not think that artists are economically hurt by censorship because artists that are that well known will have enough money already to not even flinch when their music gets censored. Obviously music needs to be censored when it is played on the radio and the music needs to be awarer of its worldwide audience.  

Research Paper

This research paper is coming along well for me and I really like my topic. I am having some difficulties, though. I am writing on ‘Deadheads’- which are the ultimate fans of the band Grateful Dead. I am researching the Deadheads and finding out whether they resembled a cult or not. Prior to this research paper I was very uninformed about The Grateful Dead and I have very much enjoyed getting to know their music better and come to a better understanding of the Deadheads themselves. My thesis is: The many fans of the band, The Grateful Dead, were dedicated, loyal, and also very much resembled cult.
I am having a hard time wording my thesis properly. Right now it does not sound professional and I think it could be organized and said more clearly. It is hard to find the right words to say without confusing my audience while properly forecasting the body of my paper. Also, looking online and through the books I am using as my research material offer more information on the band themselves, rather than the Deadheads. I have three books which include personal stories from fans of the Grateful Dead but it is hard to categorize them in a cult or not without any outside research. I can find plenty of research on Deadheads themselves, but I cannot find a lot of research on the critics of the Deadheads and of the Grateful Dead. Originally I was going to write (and have started) writing on how the Deadheads resemble a cult, but now I am thinking of changing it because it is all how you look at the situation and how you actually define a cult. I need to research more into what a cult really is and then go on from there.
I am very much a procrastinator so that is going to hurt me in the long run. I have started on my paper, but it being due in a little more than a week scares me. I know that I should be working on it every day but the procrastinator in me stops me from doing that : ). I plan on continuing to write every day next week, therefore I will not have to wait until the last minute and scramble up a 6 page paper that will not turn out well. I am really not a fan of writing essays in the first place, so I am hoping that since I actually like my topic that finishing my paper will be easier than I expect.

Internet Piracy

     Internet piracy is illegally copying or distributing unauthorized software. Using the internet to download music is a form of internet piracy and can be unlawful and hurt musicians or the music industry. But there are two sides to the story: 1) if you download music, and “sample” a song or two, it could encourage you to go out and buy the whole CD or album-therefore helping the music industry. And 2) the music industry is directly affected financially by the illegally downloading of music.
     The first side of the argument I tend to agree more with. People can hear or sample music that they heard of from their peers or families, and it will make them want to go and purchase that type of music. Downloading music can be compared to the radio-you hear things you like it encourages you to learn more about that artist or song-and in the future you purchase CD’s of theirs. Music sales have actually increased as internet downloading has increased. Also, illegal downloading can increase exposure for lesser-known artists.
It is not a victim-less crime.
     People download music all the time without paying for it and use it for their own benefits without thinking of who is losing in the situation. The downloading of music hurts the music industry because it does not give them the money that they should be given. Downloading music leads to the diminishing sales of CD’s. When you download music, you lose its originality. When you use the copied versions of music, you indirectly are encouraging internet piracy. As you download music, you do not go for the purchase of the original copies of music, which may result in an indirect violation of copyright.
      So there are pros and cons to each side of the argument. Internet piracy is illegal and worthy of punishment, but should there be lesser rules and guidelines since it can cause many benefits? If you just wanted to sample a few songs online, I think that should be allowed and will encourage listeners to purchase the more music and help the music industry. The music industry does lose money from people not purchasing their songs when they should be, but they gain so much more from people who want to hear more because they sampled songs online.

The Appeal of Reality Television

       Many people these days are obsessed with reality television-and there are reality shows about everything you can think of. Wives-housewives, basketball wives, sister wives, (and many more)-singers, dancers, bachelors and bachelorettes.  Reality TV appeals to many people because people are interested in the lives of others, people love to gossip, people love to see happy endings and sad endings,  seeing people being challenged and pushed to their limit. There are many different reasons that we are attracted to reality TV. I am interested in reality TV programs such as Survivor, The Bachelor & Bachelorette, and American Idol.
Survivor is the ultimate of wit and skill. I watch the show Survivor because I like to see the survivors participate in physical challenges and see them interact socially with each other. I like to watch relationships grow throughout the season, and see who the “jury” believes to deserve the 1 million dollar prize.  Survivor is currently airing their 22nd season. I believe millions of viewers tune into Survivor each week because it is a reality show that actually focuses on skill rather than shows like Jersey Shore, which revolves around a group of people who live in a house together and party all the time (I absolutely do not get the attraction of that show). The survivors have to play the perfect social, physical, and mental game to make it to the end of the show and have a chance at the million dollar prize. Survivor fans are interested in watching the sneakiness of the game, and also the loyalty aspect of the game.
I also enjoy the reality television show, American Idol. American Idol singing competition whose goal is to find THE American Idol, the last one standing. American Idol attracts many people because America gets to participate in the show, and they get to vote for their favorites, and ultimately decide the winner. I like watching American Idol because I enjoy judging the talents of young singers and watching their potential continue growing throughout the season. You get to experience the contestants lives change throughout the show, and also you get to experience them growing as performers and singers. American Idol is appeals to a wide range of people because there are contestants of all ages, and talent of all varieties. American Idols can give aspiring singers hope and challenge them to continue to live their dreams. The winner of the show is granted a record deal, and their dream of becoming a superstar is fulfilled.
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is a show that tries to set up the Bachelor or Bachelorette with their soul mate. It is show that is based on love and trying to find your perfect match. This show attracted me because I like seeing happy endings and witnessing others being in love. I do think that this show is highly destined to not fulfill its goal. Only like 3 of the Bachelor or Bachelorettes (out of 18) that are still together. I think that I just watch this show for entertainment purposes and to see if the couples can break the chain, and still be together in the end. I think that these shows appeal to many because of the drama that goes along with the show, and the hope for a happy ending.

Reality based lyrics

I think that it is really important for lyrics to be reality based. For people to like or respect musicians, their music has to be about problems, issues, or about life in general, that can be relatable to their audience. Music is a great form of therapy and people can turn to music for comfort or for a feeling of togetherness. Lyrics that are reality based help us not feel alone. We can turn to music when we need to hear words that we can relate to or when we need to be brought back to reality.

               Eminem gets credit for “keeping it real.” His songs are about real life situations and hardships that he went through as a young child. His lyrics talk about things that are sometimes hard to hear. From his song “mockingbird,” Eminem writes, 

               “I remember back when you and daddy had no money

               Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up

               And stuck 'em under the tree and said some of 'em were from me

               Cuz daddy couldn't buy 'em

               I'll never forget that Christmas I sat up the whole night crying

               Cuz daddy felt like a bum, see daddy had a job

               But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom”

This song is written for his daughter-and it tells of his care for her despite all of life’s issues. These lyrics are definitely important because they are reality based. People can relate to his lyrics when they grew up in a poor family and/or struggling with family problems. People turn to music when they need an outlet; an outlet for fun, sadness, or a new reality.  Eminem’s songs can be that outlet for some people because his real life experiences are relatable and can take us to a place of comfort, in knowing that you are not alone in the hardships in life.

               Non-reality based lyrics can be fun to listen to, but they are not as important as songs that are really relatable. I think that most songs we listen to contribute some meaning to our lives. When you can’t express yourself, you can turn to music to say the words that you cannot.

               For me, I think that country music is the perfect example when it comes to reality based lyrics. Country singer Brad Paisley sings a song called, “This is country music,” which I think describes what country music is all about. In the song, he says, “This is real; this is your life in a song-Yeah this is country music.” You can find a song about pretty much any life situation in the country music genre. Having “your life in a song” is a really important way to express yourself when you cannot think of the right words to say.

Elton John, "confounding the image"

When I think of an artist who “confounds the image,” I immediately think of Elton John. He often dressed very eccentrically and always had a new costume to show the world. Elton john was very diverse in his music abilities, crafting music from pop, rock, soul, and country, just to name a few. His versatility in the music industry, his flamboyant stage performances, and his charisma confounded the image of the 60’s and 70’s.  

 The definition of androgyny is when masculinity and femininity are not conceived as having different characteristics-you can have one or both or neither of the gender traits of your choice. Elton John liked to dress both masculine and feminine-but whether male or female; his style can be described as outlandish. Johns clothing is very much decorated and accessorized. For example, he regularly wears platform shoes, which are not typically worn by males, and he often changed his hair color, which is also not considered manly. Elton John’s accessories are very flashy and unique.

Another way Elton John “confounded images” was by his sexuality. Elton John was admittedly a homosexual- which was not widely accepted years ago-so many fans were shocked. In an interview, he talked about bisexuality, and his belief that “everyone is bisexual to a degree.” Some fans reacted negatively to John's sexuality, and his audience began to shrink somewhat in the late ‘70s. 

Known for his flashy clothes and numerous hit records, Elton John tells no lies about who he is and is never ashamed to be himself. But above all of this is the fact that he has created some of the most timeless music we have ever known.

Negatively portrayed by the media

All celebrities at some point in their careers have probably been portrayed negatively by the media and popular press. The media thrives off a good story, and they will do whatever they can to get people to listen to their stories; even if it means manipulation and/or misinterpretation. There is a saying, “don’t believe everything you read,” which I think that we should all live by because not everything that the media and press say is true.

One musician that definitely got a bad reputation because of the media was Michael Jackson. Although he is loved by many, he is misunderstood by few because of what the media said about him. He was certainly an exceptional musician, and because he was “different,” the media was constantly waiting for a good story to write on him. Through much of his adulthood, the media treated him as a freak, with accusations of child abuse, molestation and rumors about his private life-which all had a lack of evidence to support those allegations.

Michael Jackson certainly was unique for many reasons, hence, the constant media attention. His skin color was one issue that the media loved to talk about. His skin gradually grew lighter, and the media took notice. It turns out that Michael had 2 diseases which made him very sensitive to sunlight-causing him to carry an umbrella when he went outside. The paler that Jackson got, the more the media focused on Jackson.

His 2 marriages and his children with “odd” names were certainly talked about negatively as well. After divorcing his first wife, Lisa Marie Presley, he married Deborah Jeanne Rowe, who gave birth to his children, Michael, Jr. (aka Prince) and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. The youngest is Prince Michael Jackson II (aka Blanket).

The most negative aspects the media focused on in Jackson’s life was the allegations of sexual molestation. He often invited young disabled or poor youth into his Neverland Ranch. One child who visited the ranch accused Jackson of child abuse during his stay. The media took this news and ran, which obviously took a toll on Jackson’s life. Even after being cleared of all charges, many critics still felt that he was a guilty man that got set free. The media then portrayed Michael Jackson as a mad man. Michael Jackson had been charged with seven counts of child sexual abuse- and Michael Jackson was acquitted on all counts.

Instead of us being influenced by the negative perception on Michael Jackson the media gave to us, let’s remember Michael Jackson for the man that he was; a musical genius. 

Warning Labels?

I definitely think that record companies should put warning labels/parental advisories on the music they distribute. I think that if some ground rules were enforced, and that record companies were forced to rate the music that was distributed, than a lot of the youth would not be so exposed to the negative material in the songs that they listen to. Also, if the music was rated for adult content, then maybe the radio stations would not be allowed to play certain songs, and our kids would not have to be exposed to the negative lyrics. But for that to happen, some rules and a rating system would actually have to be enforced.

But, just like movies that are rated “R”, underage kids can still sneak in, or have their older friends buy them tickets for the movie. Just because something is given a rating, does not mean that the youth are going to listen to those ratings, or even care about them. Back in the days where people still bought CD’s and IPods® and other MP3 players did not exist, than the warning labels might have been affective. Putting warning labels and/or having a rating system today would not be so effective these days, since MP3 players are so prevalent in this generation and music is readily available for anyone, everywhere. There is no age limit for buying music online. You can pretty much buy any song you have ever heard of and the youth of today would not care if there was an ‘adult content’ warning on the music they buy.

If parents were cautious about what music their children listened to, then that would be an effective way to eliminate the “bad” music from their playlists. Parents should have there own rating system, and rate the songs that the kids are hearing. All you need is some enforcement, and the youth would not be exposed to such negative lyrics.

All that being said, I do not think that music has a bad enough effect on the youth and that we should not be so concerned about what they listen to. Yes, there are some horrible songs out there that I would not let my children listen to, but the main thing is that the youth of today like to express themselves through music. Whatever they listen to is important for them to “find themselves” and identify with other people.

Negative effect of music on youth

I believe that music is very helpful and influential, but in some extreme cases, it can have a negative effect on young people. For kids that have a good self-image and good morals, music probably has no negative effects on their life. Young people who are just developing a self-image or who are still growing up may be negatively affected by music. Young people that listen to music with lyrics that pertain to violence, racism, or include any other form of discrimination may be subject to those behaviors or thoughts. Young people that are depressed or hostile towards others might be badly influenced by the depressing or hostile music that they listen to.

Lyrics are an essential part of music and the way that it impacts our lives. Lyrics contain messages and feelings that the artists want to convey to the listeners. If violence and anger are a part of the lyrics that you listen to, then your attitude may become violent and angry. The language music uses and the moral it portrays is reflected on the listeners. For example, if you listen to songs like Marilyn Manson’s “Get your Gunn,” you will hear lyrics like, “I throw a little fit, I slit my teenage wrist, The most that I can learn,
Is in records that you burn, Get your gunn, get your gunn.” That is definitely not music that will influence me positively. If lyrics like that get stuck in your head, then you are constantly thinking about slitting your wrists and getting a gun. Those are not positive thoughts to have, especially when you are young and do not have a lot of self control. Negative influences of music mostly have to do with the lyrics that it comes with.

Another negative effect music can have on youth is if they are listening to it and blocking out everything else around them. In class, young people can learn a lot of essential things that will aid in their futures, but if they have headphones in the whole time, then all they are not expanding their education. Bad grades in school could be because the youth are not paying attention in class, only to what is coming out of their headphones.  Also, if the youth believe that the music they listen to is more important that listening to their peers and/or parents, then they may not get the good advice that they might need. Their behavior will directly affect the music they listen too.

To sum it up, the music the youth listens to can negatively affect them in rare cases. Lyrics are the most important aspect of music and they are the means by which our attitude/behavior reflects. Listening to too much music can be deterring in our education. If we listen to lyrics with violent words in them, it can lead to violent behaviors. Especially if the song is stuck in our head all day, then the constantly negative words are going through our brains and play out in our actions.

What are you passionate about?

Growing up, young people are still trying to “find themselves,” so they sometimes turn to music to help them relate to others or deal with their emotions. I think that music is sometimes the first thing that young people fall in love with. It is the first thing that excites them and the first thing that makes them not feel alone. I think that is why Bloom writes about young people: "It is their passion; nothing else excites them as it does; they cannot take seriously anything alien to music." I would, though, have to disagree with Bloom’s statement. I believe that music is a huge part in young people’s lives but I do not believe that it is the only thing they can take seriously. Young people can be passionate about a variety of things alien to music.         I would consider myself a young person, and I do love music, but am not passionate about it. Being passionate about something is way different than loving something. Our passions consume us. What we are passionate about, I believe, is what we build our foundation on. If you are passionate about music, then you are likely to learn an instrument or become a lyricist or work for a recording company, etc. I can still love music without wanting a career in music, it is not my passion. I think that you should be passionate about what you want your future to involve.        I am passionate about other forms or art. My passion is painting/creative design. I hope to one day become an artist or fashion designer or something that has to do with being creative. I put my time and effort into being creating. Painting definitely excites me more than music does. I love both music and designing, but I actually want to base my life around designing, not music.        Another example is that I have a friend that has a passion for people. She loves to be around people and is always looking for an opportunity to meet new friends. Her future career is going to involve the general public. She is non-judging and always wants to be around others. She, too, loves music but she would rather spend time around others than listen to her favorite band. She can talk to anyone. She is gifted in always knowing the right words to say. I also think that what you are gifted in will reflect what you are passionate about.      My point is that there are many different people with passions for many different things. I think that Bloom was definitely overgeneralizing when he stated that young people are only passionate about music. Young people are definitely excited about music but it is not a passion for them. There is a huge gap between loves vs. passions. Like I said before, music is the one thing that young people first fall in love with. It does not have to be what they are passionate about or the only thing that gets them excited.

Conversing without words

In paragraph 15, Mr. Dara says, "When we get together, there's no words thrown away, no idle talk. We'll sit down, play drums, and just conversate musically." How do you converse with your parents, your friends? Consider what other ways we converse without using words:

One way we converse without using words, is body language. Body language is a huge way of saying something, without actually saying anything. Body language consists of variety of non-verbal actions. Facial expressions, eye movement, and posture are all examples of body language. Facial expressions are a huge part of our everyday lives. Frowns, smiles, raised eyebrows, etc., all send certain messages to whoever you are conversing with, even if no words are being said.

With words, it is easy to persuade or lie to someone. With body language, it is a lot harder. You can lie to someone’s face, but if you have no eye contact, and/or little body movement, that person might not believe you no matter how good a liar you are.

You can converse without words in many ways besides body language, too. You can converse musically, like Mr. Dara explained. In music, there are parts in songs that are just the instruments, no words. Sometimes that can be much deeper than the lyrics themselves. Classical music is mostly all instrumental, and it can say so much. The beautiful instruments sounds can be interpreted into words. If you are having a bad day, sometimes anything anybody says will make you in an even worse mood. But then you listen to music, without words, and your mood will be totally recovered.

I believe you can also converse through any form of art. Painting, drawing, dancing, any form of artistic expression can be substituted for words. Paintings/drawings can tell a story through what is interpreted in the picture or by what media the painter uses. Dancers converse with their bodies through bold moves vs. soft moves. Their bolder mood might be saying that they are angry, while their softer moves could say that they are happy or relaxed.

One way I converse with me parents and friends is through just hanging around them. We do not even have to talk, if we are just sitting watching TV, or eating, or drinking. Just knowing that someone is there for you says everything, even if nothing is being said. Enjoying one another’s company without talking is sometimes a much needed thing.  Talking is a part of everyday life, and there are days when you just need to relax and know there is someone next to you that can relax alongside you, in silence.

Silence can say a lot about a person. Silence can be interpreted as a good thing, or a bad thing. Being silent can mean that that you are disappointed, mad, or just can’t find the words to say. Also, being silent can mean that the person you are conversing with is comfortable enough around you, that talking is not necessary. The saying, “silence is golden,” is absolutely true. Silence can be saying just what you cannot actually say.

My musical library

My library of music reveals that I have a wide variety of musical taste. Country, rock, metal, pop, and worship music are all included in my musical library. I have always listened to country throughout my whole entire life. My family listened to it, so of course I did when I was young and I did not fully understand what music could mean for me. Clint black, Alan Jackson, and Sawyer Brown were the artists that I had listened to the most as a young child. Also, my grandfather (Andy Russell) was a famous singer in Mexico, so you would also find me listening to his songs like, “Besame Mucho”, even though I did not know the Spanish language.

 Growing up, what music I listened to definitely depended on my sister and cousin. They are my best friends, but they are older than me so I depended on them for my musical fix. My cousin definitely had the most influence on me and what I still listen to still today. She had always been absolutely in love with music, and showed me how to be in love with it to. I looked up to her, so of course she always had the best taste in music. In our younger days, we listened to pop music, like the Backstreet Boys and N’Sync. Then, as we got older, they both had jobs, so they would go out and buy CD’s, which I could not afford, so what they listened to, as did I. They both listened to “indie” bands, like Coldplay, Jack’s Mannequin, and Death Cab for Cutie, which I eventually learned to love and appreciate.

In high school I made new friends and listened to what they listened to. That is definitely when rock music entered my musical library. I started listening to bands like Thrice and 30 Seconds to Mars. I also influenced what music my friends listen to. They would have never listened to country music if I had not introduced it into their lives. Also, in high school, is when I took my Christian faith more seriously. My belief in Jesus Christ opened up my musical library to worship music.

Today I definitely got rid of some music that I used to listen to. I believe that everyone goes through musical phases, and your musical taste matures as you do. As my friends and I grew apart, the music they introduced me to went along with them. I think country music will always be present in my life, as will worship music and indie. I will always be in love with Jesus Christ, so I will always want to listen to the music that worships him. Country was such a huge part of my childhood that I can never let that go.  Indie music will forever be in my musical library because that is what made me fully appreciate music and what it means for me today.